(1) A consultant may request clarification of the invitation for proposals from the procurement entity and where such a request is made the procurement entity shall

(a) respond to the request within 7 working days of the request being made if the request is received by the procurement entity within 14 working days prior to the deadline for the submission of proposals; and

(b) where the request is made later than 14 days prior to the deadline for the submission of proposals, respond promptly and early enough to enable the consultant make a timely submission of its proposal and shall, without identifying the source of the invitation, communicate the clarification to the other consultants to whom the procurement entity has provided the invitation for proposals.

(2) A procurement entity may, whether on its initiative or as a result of a request for clarification by a consultant, modify the request for proposals by issuing an addendum at any time prior to the deadline for the submission of proposals.

(3) The addendum shall be communicated promptly before the deadline for the submission of proposals to the shortlisted consultants to whom the procurement entity has provided the request for proposals and shall be binding on those consultants.

(4) If the procurement entity convenes a meeting of consultants, it shall prepare minutes of the meeting containing the requests submitted at the meeting for clarification of the request for proposal and its responses to those requests, without identifying the sources of the requests.

(5) The minutes shall be provided promptly before the deadline for the submission of proposals to the consultants participating in the selection proceedings to enable them take the minutes into account in preparing their proposals.